Search form

Kreuziger Provisionally Banned for Doping

News & Results

Kreuziger Provisionally Banned for Doping

Czech rider Roman Kreuziger (Team Tinkoff-Saxo) has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect for an anti-doping rule violation based on his biological passport, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced in a statement released on Saturday.

"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has imposed a provisional suspension with immediate effect on Tinkoff-Saxo’s rider Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic) in connection with the recent assertion of an anti-doping rule violation based on his athlete biological passport. The decision was taken following confirmation received on August 1st, 2014 that Roman Kreuziger intended to participate in the upcoming Tour of Poland and Vuelta a España," UCI explained in the statement.

The anomalies in Kreuziger's biological passport pertain to the periods of March-August 2011 and April 2012, where Kreuziger was riding for Team Astana - the team of Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali.

According to Team Tinkoff Bank - Saxo Bank, Kreuziger will remain suspended until a verdict has been reached.

At a time where Kreuziger's Tinkoff-Saxo team ought to be focusing on the serious accusation of doping having been used by one of its riders, the team awkwardly chose to complain about the timing of the decision to suspend Kreuziger.

"Tinkoff-Saxo cannot avoid criticizing the timing of this decision as the rider and team was notified less than 24 hours before the start of the Tour of Poland. The team notes that this materially impairs its participation in this important race and that Kreuziger receives his provisional suspension without solid evidence of any wrongdoing but only based on the opinion of medical experts of the UCI Anti-doping Commission," the Tinkoff-Saxo team said in a statement.